


Together

by dreamkist



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Old Friends, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Rhodey Birthday Week 2018, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 09:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16216100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamkist/pseuds/dreamkist
Summary: Hurting and healing, they will always be there for each other.





	Together

**Author's Note:**

> My Rhodey appreciation week gift for thormlm.

Rhodey walked the length of the hall, getting used to the feel of the new leg braces. He stopped to stretch a little. All of the new ways he was using his muscles were making him sore. They had been through several iterations of the braces and Tony was working on integrating them with the War Machine armor.

Outside, the leaves were beginning to change color, to bright yellows and reds, against the dark river. With so many of the others gone, the compound was quiet. Rhodey made his way back to the workshop where he knew there would be badly hidden guilt waiting for him in those big eyes.

They had both bounced back after bad things had happened plenty of times over the years, but he worried about Tony. He seemed to be more tired and sadder than Rhodey had ever seen him, like the fight had finally taken too much from him. Anyone could see he was hurting, Tony usually put more effort into hiding how he felt. Rhodey wanted to help him with that pain, he hated seeing his oldest and best friend that way.

“How are they?” Tony asked when Rhodey entered the room.

“Good, I think we got the fit right in the waist.”

Tony nodded and looked down at the armor to continue his work.

“Tony,” he began. He was unsure what he wanted to say, he just knew there was something that needed to be said.

Tony had looked up at him again and was waiting.

“What’s bothering you?” he asked. It wasn’t great but it was a start.

“Nothing,” Tony offered an automatic denial. “Why would something be wrong?”

“Come on, Tony. It’s obvious you’re not ok.”

Tony sighed and the lack of a fight was indication enough that he wasn’t ok. Any other time that statement would have set him off. Instead he looked right at Rhodey and asked, “Are you leaving too? I mean once I get this right,” he gestured to the armor.

So that was it, he thought Rhodey would leave him too. “Don’t you know by now? You’re stuck with me, Tones.” He kept his voice light, but he gripped Tony’s shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

He couldn’t stand the heartbreaking hope in Tony’s eyes in response to his words, so he pulled him into a hug.

“What is this? What’s happening?” Tony asked in fake confusion.

Rhodey just ignored him until he felt Tony slowly relax against him. With one big exhale Tony dropped his head to Rhodey’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around the taller man.

“You’re good, Tony,” he quietly said and rubbed the other man’s back. He was surprised by how right it felt to have Tony in his arms, but at the same time he knew he shouldn’t be.

He was about to let him go when Tony turned his head. Rhodey felt lips press against his neck in a light kiss, and he was pretty sure his heart stopped. Then it restarted and tried to escape his chest. He squeezed Tony tighter.

They finally parted, and he got a small, precious smile in response before Tony ducked his head. Rhodey felt like he was going to melt right there.

“When was the last time you ate?” he asked to break the silence and to avoid making a big deal out of whatever had just happened. “Let’s get something to eat.” There was a big, dumb smile on his face, but he didn’t care about that.

They left the workshop, and Tony rambled on about what food he wanted. Rhodey would let him decide. He was thinking about how he had never felt lonely at all, but that didn’t mean something hadn’t been missing. The truth was there was nothing that came more naturally to him than loving Tony Stark and whatever form that love was in was fine with him.


End file.
